Awkward Conversations Lead To
by AmyCoolz
Summary: Booth and Zack discuss the squint's sex life. Can you say "awkward"?


Zack was examining the remains of a middle-aged woman who had been found in a car wreck near the Capitol building; he made sure the bones were cleaned after Dr. Brennan and Agent Booth had gathered all of the evidence they had needed from the body in its pre-cleaned state. He looked up as Booth entered the lab area once more, flipping his poker chip in the air and catching it again. "Agent Booth," he greeted. "Where's Dr. Brennan?"

"She said something about a date and that she would be taking the night off." He walked over to where Zack was leaning over the bones on the examination table with a pair of forceps. "What are you doing with the bones?"

"I'm examining the bones for any defects: nicks made by a weapon or deformities from birth or disease. It will help identify the victim, along with Angela's sketches." He pointed to a vertebral bone. "This vertebra has a microscopic indentation, indicating that a syringe was used to inject some substance into the victim's spinal column."

"And you can get all that from the bones?" Booth knew this, of course; he just liked making the kid feel needed.

"You'd be surprised what we can learn from just bones, Agent Booth."

Booth sat back and watched Zack work for a while, just idly flipping his poker chip, but otherwise staying motionless and giving the squint his space. After fifteen minutes or so, he leaned forward and placed his hands on the table, mere centimeters from Zack's own. "Zack, how much sexual experience do you have?"

Zack immediately stopped his work and stared up at Booth. "Agent Booth, you told me once that you'd shoot me between the eyes if I ever asked you about sexual positions…"

"Did I?"

"Yes, so why would you ask me a question like that?"

Booth shrugged. "Curiosity?"

"There's an old cliché that says 'Curiosity killed the cat,' Agent Booth. Are you willing to take that risk?"

He flipped his poker chip again and smirked. "I like my chances."

Zack sighed and set down his forceps. "I have had a total of one sexual experience in my life, with Naomi from paleontology. It was an embarrassment and I'd rather not discuss it further."

"So you've only had sex once?"

"I believe I just said that, yes."

Booth nodded once and then pushed off of the table, walking back to his position leaning against the railing. He pocketed his poker chip and just stood, watching Zack warring internally with himself.

"Agent Booth, I'm confused."

"I'd worry if you weren't."

He turned around and faced the FBI agent. "Why did you inquire about that? I was under the impression you were uninterested."

Booth shrugged, tilted his head to one side. "I've developed an interest."

"In my sex life?"

"In you." He leaned forward, expression serious. "Now it's up to you where that interest heads."

Zack stood thinking for a few minutes, fidgeting with the fingers of his latex gloves, head hung. He pushed off of the table and past Booth, muttering "Excuse me" under his breath, and went into Brennan's office.

Booth didn't bother following him; instead he left the lab and went home, knowing that he'd receive a rather warm welcome from Zack the next day.

Walking into the lab the next morning, Booth saw Brennan and Zack already hard at work examining the bones from the day before; they exchanged scientific words that flew over Booth's head, but that didn't mean he couldn't sit back and enjoy the show. As soon as Zack noticed that Booth had entered the lab, he blushed furiously and ducked his head lower over the table, hiding behind Brennan.

"Have we learned everything we can from the bones?"

"Everything that is pertinent to this part of the investigation, Dr. Brennan," he replied, though his voice was slightly strained. "I'll move them into the examination room for further study."

"I'll help you," Booth spoke up, moving over to the table to help Zack load the bones into a plastic tray.

"Thank you," Zack murmured, collecting the last of the metatarsals. He didn't wait for Agent Booth before setting off in the direction of the examination room.

"Zack!" The FBI agent caught up with him in the room, shutting and locking the door behind them as Zack placed the tray on the table in the center of the room and began to take the bones out again.

"Agent Booth, I have very important work to do, so if you could just-"

"Enough, Zack," he interrupted, putting the bones back into the tray and halting Zack from taking any more out. "Talk to me."

"There is nothing to discuss."

"Bull. There's always something to discuss with you; that's why I like you."

"But what about Dr. Brennan? You always discuss things with her."

"She's got a boyfriend or something now. Besides, I'm not into her like that."

Zack flushed a deep red, gripping the edges of the tray in his hands. "What do you mean?"

Booth placed a finger under Zack's chin and lifted his head slowly, making eye contact with the squint for longer than two seconds for the first time that day. "How do I put this into words you'll understand…? I'm not interested in her romantically. Sexually, sure, but-"

"Agent Booth, are you saying you're not just looking for a sexual relationship with me?"

"Well, it would be nice. I don't like one night stands, but if that's all you're looking for, I suppose it could suffice."

"I don't know what that means."

"Good." He took hold of Zack's chin between his thumb and two fingers, pulling him closer and placing his lips gently over Zack's. He sighed at the first contact and then pressed in with more pressure, coaxing Zack to respond.

He pulled back slightly, gazing into Zack's dark eyes and burying his hands in the squint's soft hair. "Zack?"

"Agent Booth!" he gasped, and brought his arms up to wrap around Booth's neck, pulling him back down. Their noses bumped together as Booth tried to get the angle right, but once he did, the contact was beautiful and Zack's mouth moved in tandem with his and it was perfect. Booth closed his eyes at some point in the kiss, wrapping his arms around Zack's waist and pulling him close.

When they parted, Zack was panting and his hair was sticking up in every direction; Booth smiled smugly at the squint, letting go of him and inching toward the door. "I'll let you get back to your work, Zack," he said, unlocking the door. "You want a ride home later?"

"Hodgins usually gives me a ride home-" At the look Booth was shooting him, he finally understood. "I'd appreciate a ride home, Agent Booth."

"Excellent," he replied, smiling. He opened the door, took one step, and turned back. "And it's Seeley to you, Zack." With one more flash of white teeth he was gone, leaving Zack alone in the room with only the bones and his thoughts as company.


End file.
